An Unlikely Ally

The wind had really picked up as Jasper and Mikki walked back hand in hand to the institute. In all honesty the harshness of the wind was the only thing bad about their walk. Jasper had been laughing quite a bit as Mikki tried to convince him he was clincially insane, and that he shouldn't be allowed out of the institute. "You should be a lawyer." He said with a grin, "You're so damn persistent." The rest of the trip had been virtually the same. With the two of them joking around, Jasper telling Mikki about Idris, and his short stay in Spain, and Mikki even smiling. Jasper was happy she seemed to be enjoying herself. As the pair turned the corner that lead to the front of the church, Jasper could swear he saw someone standing outside looking at the building, but he knew no mundane could see it. What downworlder would be stupid enough to walk right up to the institute? he thought to himself. He played off his suspicion as to not worry Mikki as they walked. Trying to turn his attention to her story, something about her warlock friend, a demon, an apartment. However when they were a few yards away from the man, he turned towards them, and that's when Jasper knew who it was. The dark hair, the pale skin, the red eyes. It was the same vampire from the hotel, Chester. Quickly in a defensive state he pulled Mikki behind him, then proceeded to pull his silver knife out from his sleeve, gripping it so the blade faced down in his hand before raising it in front of him. Jasper surveyed the vampire for a moment, he didn't seem like he was ready to attack, but with vampires you could never be to careful. After another moment passed and the vampire stood stoic, Jasper spoke. "What are you doing here vampire?" his voice was firm and authoritative. He felt like a young Godric. The vampire still remained silient, just staring at him with it's cold dead red eyes, so Jasper spoke again, "You realize there's severel other Nephilim in this building right now? If you're able to take me down they'll decend on you like wolves."

It was just after sunset as Chester stood on the cracked sidewalk in front of the Institute, the sky a soft grey behind the spires of the cathedral. He had wasted no time slipping silently from the hotel after nightfall, yet here he stood, looking up at gothic building filled with an icy numbness that didn’t come from the cold night air. The wind whipped past him, sending garbage skittering past his boots but he stood still, unaffected by the icy bite that would make any human shiver. To an immortal; the passing of time is obsolete, for every second passed there are an infinite more to follow. Though for Chester, time had stopped as he watched the love of his immortal life burn away into ash. It wasn’t the first time he had seen the one he loved die, though in his mortal life death was something you had no choice but to except. When you love someone, you know that the two of you will grow old and one day both of you will pass on, with the hope that you will meet again in whatever life follows. It was different with Cora, he had been promised her love for all eternity, never having to fear the cold hands of illness or old age to steal her from him, but he had been thoroughly mistaken. There wasa pair of hands that had taken her, hands that he should have feared far more than any force that takes a human life. Twice now had his master murdered the one he loved and he wouldn’t rest until he had taken away the only thing Christopher cared about. His own cold, ruthless excuse of a life.The sound of laughter alerted him that he was no longer alone on the dark street; he could see two figures approaching quickly. He knew instantly who the young Nephilim was, the scent of his parents blood would not be something Chester was soon to forget. As the pair came closer, he could tell that Jasper instantly recognized him as well and was hardly surprised to see the glint of a dagger poised ready to kill in his slender hand. It wasn’t the boy who caught Chester’s attention though, but the girl who Jasper had quickly swept behind him. A mundane, but with the sight. He could feel his hunger spark his predatory instinct, he had not fed before coming here and this girl was so full of life. He could feel her aura, pulsing around her like raw, vibrant energy. Tearing his gaze away from the girl, he focused back on Jasper he had heard the boy talking though his words went unanswered as he watched the young shadowhunter. Chester couldn’t help but feel a kinship with him, his life had also been destroyed by the hand of Christopher, his parents falling victim to the endless bloodshed.

"You realize there's several other Nephilim in this building right now? If you're able to take me down they'll descend on you like wolves." A smile finally found Chester’s lips, though the emotion did not reach his eyes. “Calm yourself young on, I mean you no harm. In fact, I believe you above any other will want to hear what I have to say.”

"You bet your ass I'm persistent," Mikki said, the smile from earlier still surprisingly present. "And that's why I'm going to put down some ground rules for our partnership of good versus my poor excuse for a life. I'm Batman and you're Robin. No arguing." It had been like this, the witty jokes followed by an even wittier response, all the way back from the slums and the dark memories that resided there. They were mere blocks away from the Institute, night fully on the city, and Mikki could honestly say she'd never had a better time. Sure, the wind was still being an icy bitch, but, with Jasper's hand still covering hers, Mikki barely noticed the chill. A small part of her wondered if this happiness was only temporary. Any minute now, would she start to feel the need to retract her hand, taking the acceptance of Jasper's help with it? Was she still riding on the shock from the kiss, her logic still back in that grimy slum? Well, if being logical meant leaving him, then she'd gladly stay the biggest fool the whole damn planet had ever seen. Starting in on yet another story, this one covered one of her few embarrassing moments, her eyes glinting in the darkness as she described Genny, the apartment, and the demon.Having just told the punch line of her story, Mikki became slightly suspicious when Jasper's laughter came just a hair too late. She knew she wasn't much of a story teller, but the image of her, falling face first in the insides of some Demon, deserved much more of a reaction than he'd given. Breaking the eye contact that he was trying far too hard to keep, Mikki followed the path his eyes had only seconds ago been following. They had just turned the corner of some street, the Institute only yards away. And there, staring right up at it stood a dark figure. Jasper wasn't even trying to hide his interest now, both of their steps becoming longer and quicker. In no time, the figure was brought into a clearer focus and was easily recognizable. Vampire."What are you doing here vampire?," Jasper's voice barked, an authoritative quality there that Mikki hadn't yet heard from him. “You realize there's several other Nephilim in this building right now? If you're able to take me down they'll descend on you like wolves." If he takes you down, he'll have me to deal with next, Mikki thought, her free hand already clenching into a fist, itching to grab for the knife at her side.“Calm yourself young on, I mean you no harm. In fact, I believe you above any other will want to hear what I have to say."The vampires voice slithered out, smooth as silk, instantly making Mikki feel like she needed to physically scrape them off her skin. The vamp wasn’t even making sense!"What do you mean Jasper above any other......" Mikki's growl trailed off as she registered the recognition passing between the vampire and Jasper. Visions of the night he'd been brought in, bloodied and looking like he was an inch away from death, flashed through her mind, making everything click."You worthless, sack of shit, bloodsucking leach! You were the one who attacked him, weren't you?," Mikki's voice roared out, her anger once again getting the best of her. "How about you come over here and try it again. I'll make you wish your bitch of a mother had killed you the very moment she saw you!"Mikki had already taken the step, but her hand was still held firmly in Jasper's. He'd increased his grip at the very moment she'd decided to move, his eyes staring down into hers, telling her to stop. It wasn't everyday someone told Mikki Downs to do anything, and an even rarer thing was her doing what was asked. She wanted to trust Jasper in this. And that's why, instead of tearing off the still smiling face of the son of a bitch in front of her, she satisfied her rage by staring daggers, wishing they were they real instead of mental.

Jasper contemplated what the Chester said as Mikki expressed her rage. It was only when she made a move towards the vampire that Jasper tightened his grip on her hand, looking into her eyes to calm her down. When Mikki's anger subdued itself in a hateful stare Jasper spoke again. "It's ok Mikki he didn't attack me. He actually let Oliver carry me out of the hotel." Turning his attention back to the vampire he added, "Thank you for that. But whatever you have to say to me, you'll have to say it to the entire institute." Jasper's voice was no longer hostile but still held authority. As he noticed this seemed to be the vampires intentions anyway, Jasper nodded his head at the door that was on the side of the institute and said, "That's the sanctuary, it's the only place where your species can enter the institute unharmed. Wait in there and I'll go get the rest of the institute." As Jasper and Mikki walked past Chester he didn't move. Not waiting to see if the vampire moved as they accended the stone steps, Jasepr opened the door and headed inside. The silence around the building threw Jasper off for a moment, getting the nervous feeling that something was wrong, but then he saw Godric walking down the hall. Jasper quickly walked up to Godric and spoke before the man could say a word, "Godric a vampire is waiting in the sanctuarty with urgent news." Almost immediately Godric replied, "Ok, I'll get everyone and meet you there, go keep our guest company." Nodding Jasper headed off towards the sanctuary, with Mikki's hand still in his.As he opened the door he saw the vampire sitting stoicly on the fountain in the center of the room. Jasper finally letting go of Mikki's hand, walked over to where the vampire sat. As he was a few steps away from the vampire Jasper spoke, "I don't understand. You could have killed me easily, maybe not Oliver, but me yes. Why'd you let us go?" Unfortunately right as he asked the question the door to the sanctuary opened again and in came the shadowhunters.

"It's ok Mikki he didn't attack me. He actually let Oliver carry me out of the hotel. Thank you for that. But whatever you have to say to me, you'll have to say it to the entire institute." Chester’s smile fell from his lips immediately, the memory of that night flashing behind his red eyes as vividly as if the scene were happening once more in front of him. He stood as still as a statue for a long moment as he stared unseeingly at Jasper before the rest of the boys words made any sense. His lips pulled down into an annoyed frown as he let out an exasperated yet unnecessary breath.“That is why I am here, obviously. I wish to speak to the one who leads you. Although your participation will be needed, a little boy such as yourself is hardly any use to me.” For his plan to work he would need power, strength and although the young boys hatred for Christopher was great, it was the force of the Claive itself Chester needed. The vampire hardly gave an acknowledgment that he was listening as the boy showed him the entrance to the sanctuary. He had been here before, knew the layout as well as any shadowhunter. Though he could never step indie the cathedral, Christopher had made him study the blueprints down to every last closet. Know thy enemy his mater had said… As the two moved past him to climb the steps to the main entrance, Chester stood still, the wind tousling his hair the only movement on his frozen body. This was his last chance to change his mind, his last chance to run back to master like the obedient lap dog he had always been. Or he could enter the Sanctuary, tell the Nephelim Christopher’s plans and put an end to the monster for good. A humorless smile curled at his lips and he could feel his fangs piercing his lower lip. He would surely die for this, a fact that almost seemed like a reward. The Sanctuary was cold and as quiet as a tomb, it looked as if no one had entered the great hall for quite some time but there was still a strange feel to the place, a live energy that buzzed in every stone and he knew this place was not built to make the damned feel at home. Taking a seat on the large stone fountain that sat empty in the middle of the room, he folded his hand in his lap, only having to wait a short moment before Jasper and his human entered the room through a different door. "I don't understand. You could have killed me easily, maybe not Oliver, but me yes. Why'd you let us go?" All Chester had time to do was smile before the door opened once more and more shdowhunters entered the room. Getting to his feet he stood still, unsmiling as his gaze fell over them, his eyes narrowing habitually at the thought of being so outnumbered by those he had spent his immortal life considering his enemy.

"Poor, poor thing. Today's just not your day, is it?" Alexia muttered lowly, her words directed to that moments victim of choice. Sure, it was only just a fly, but hard times called for hard choices. It had been far too long since the last time she'd enjoyed seeing the pain and fear swimming in the eyes of someone who knew who she was and what she was capable of. When Lexi had agreed to take on the undercover job, she'd had no idea how hard it was truly going to be. Torturing the fly was barely giving her any pleasure at all. Now, there was that cute Border Collie she'd seen running around....The small black speck, pinned to the windowsill by the sharpened pencil impaled in its wing, squirmed with an almost inaudible buzzing noise, its resolve slowing giving up. Lexi had already torn its other wing off. She would have done away with them both, but impaling it any where else would have killed it, and her little game would have ended. She'd periodically picture the fly with a different face, a Nephilim face. First it had been Oliver, then Godric, and finally Bridget. That's when she'd torn the first wing off. Alexia suddenly flicked her head to face her bedroom door. She could have sworn she'd just heard voices in the hallway. Jumping up from her spot by the window, she crossed to the door as quietly as a mouse. Her hand slowly curled around the door knob, twisting it so a small crack was created, just enough to see out into the hallway. Godric was talking to Vanessa at the very end of the hallway. Relying on her expertise at lip reading, Lexi quickly deduced that the Head needed everyone down in the sanctuary for a group meeting. He was just about to knock on Oliver's door, when she suddenly got an idea. Earlier, she'd heard Bridget knock on Oliver's door. Of course, it had pissed her off that her plan to bring tension between them was on its way to an early grave, but she'd already been feeling the beginnings of boredom with Oliver anyway. Her newest idea wasn't exactly a plan, more just something to get the sweet little couple stirred up."Hey, Mr. Hailstar? You seem really busy. I'll go ahead and get the rest of them, if you want," Lexi offered sweetly, closing her door behind her. He quickly gave her an appreciative nod, before swiftly exiting the hallway. The Vanessa girl was still standing there, looking timidly at Lexi. The girl had less of a spine than the others, if that was even really possible. Sending her a wink, Lexi took the few steps between her door and Oliver's, waiting only a millisecond after she knocked before letting herself in."Sorry it took me so long, Ollie, but I wanted to get all prettied up for you," Lexi purred out, her back still to the room, as she made a show of locking the door. Finally turning around, she made sure her expression of surprise was genuine, as she watched the faces of both Bridget and Oliver."I know you said you liked it kinky, but, really, Oliver!? A threesome with my childhood best friend was definitely not what I had in mind," Lexi said, indignantly placing her hands on her curvy hips. She watched with silent pleasure as Bridget moved her gaze back to Oliver, a look of betrayal plain in her doe eyes. It looked like Lexi's work was done."Oh, and by the way, Godric just called a meeting of all the Shadowhunters in the sanctuary, so you two probably should get down there," Lexi added, a touch of emotion in her voice as she looked at Bridget, accusingly. Not wasting anymore time, she quickly exited the room. Walking down the hall, Lexi smiled to herself, thinking the day had finally decided to pick up.

Egan was back in his room unpacking his things and placing them neatly in the drawers provided. It was something he liked to do to relax. Most shadowhunters took to sparring or throwing knives, but Egan was different in that way. He enjoyed stacking or organizing to set himself at ease. They day hadn't particularly gone as he planned. He had come in at the worst time when all the shadowhunters were on edge. The sparring with Nathan though was the only thing that Egan was proud of. He had done well and even Godric had told him so. Though he did wish the others were there to see him so they knew he meant business, particularly Vanessa. He wasn't sure but there was something about her that just stuck in his mind. Egan was interrupted when he heard talking in the hallway so he quietly peeked out and saw Godric speaking with Vanessa about something. He couldn't hear them but he could tell from the body language that it was something important.

He stepped out just as the new girl, he forgot her name, did and told Godric she would assemble the others. She gave a wink to Vanessa and then knocked on the door of someone's room, he hadn't quite figured out where everyone's rooms were, and entered without waiting for a reply. Egan shook his head and turned to Vanessa, "She is a strange one huh?" He gave a lazy smile and walked closer to her.

"So what did Godric want?" Egan asked with a perked brow and a nod towards where Godric has left. He was intrigued and hoped that it was something exciting. He had heard tales that LA and NY were the places to go to see action, but so far all he has seen is action in the Institute. He was beginning to wonder if that is what they meant. His skin was itching for real combat, craving it.

Vanessa had been staring absentmindedly out the small window in her room, stroking Mia's silken head without really thinking about it, when she heard a sharp rap on her door. The noise startled her out of her momentary calm, her hand immediately striking out to grab the small dagger she'd placed on the window sill earlier. Vanessa knew most people would call her paranoid; the Institute was probably the safest place in the world to be. But, she just couldn't toss the feeling of anxiety that had tailed her since that horrible night.Crossing the room, each step hesitantly taken, Vanessa kept the dagger folded behind her back in a clenched hand, as she opened the door. "Hey, Vanessa," Godric said, his normal smile looking a tad forced. Letting out the breath she'd been holding since she'd heard the knock, Vanessa threw the dagger effortlessly behind her, knowing it would land silently on the bed, as she listened to what the Head had to say.Apparently, there was to be a mandatory meeting of all the Shadowhunters downstairs, in the Sanctuary. The location struck Vanessa as off, mainly because the few other times they'd all come together for a meeting it had been in the library. She knew what Sanctuarys were and what they harbored, the thought making some of her anxiety from before return. Had one of the other Shadowhunters caught something? That would explain the strained look on Godric's face that had first caught her eye. "I'll be down in just a moment," Vanessa replied, turning her body so that it angled back towards her door. But, before she could make it over the threshold, the sight of Nina coming out of her bedroom stopped her, the girl's eyes already locked on them. Vanessa had no idea why, but, every time she saw the girl, a chill ran down her spine. Maybe it was the almost too fierce glint that always seemed to be present in her eyes. Or, maybe it was just because Nina's confidence so far exceeded her own. Either way, the girl gave her the creeps."Hey, Mr. Hailstar, you seem really busy. I'll go ahead and get the rest of them, if you want," Nina volunteered, her voice just as sweet and girly as always. Godric eagerly agreed, his focus obviously centered downstairs in the Sanctuary. Before Vanessa could even blink, she found herself alone, in the hallway, with a still smiling Nina. She tightened her grip on the side of the doorway, as Nina inched closer, only giving her a disturbing wink before letting herself into Oliver's room. Vanessa knew she'd never be able to understand that girl.For the second time, Vanessa turned back towards her door, and, once again, she was stopped. Egan, the newest Shadowhunter she'd showed around the Institute that crazy night, had just caught her attention, bringing the whole of his 5’11 form out from inside his bedroom. He'd been really nice that night she’d given him the tour, making jokes to help her relax. And, what with the chaos going on around them and the fact that she was having to single handedly introduce the Institute to a complete stranger, it had taken quite a while. But, amazingly, it had worked. Egan's smiles made her smile, his funny stories made her laugh, and his slight accent made it all the more interesting to hear him talk. Of course, she still blushed every time she felt his dark blue eyes on her, but talking to him was easier than with the others. "So what did Godric want?," Egan asked, his soft, southern drawl standing out only the smallest bit. He'd closed a little bit of the distance between them, making it more comfortable to talk. With the beating of her heart echoing loudly through her ears, Vanessa prayed that she could answer this, a simple question, without making a complete idiot out of herself. "Oh, he just wanted-,"Vanessa started to answer, only to be interrupted by a large flash of fur escaping out from the open door behind her. Mia stood, panting in the hallway, her patience having finally given out. If the belly rub wasn't coming to her, she'd go find the belly rub. But, once the border collie caught the scent of the boy standing next to her precious owner, she immediately switched her attention to the new friend, jumping up on him and covering his hand with slobbery kisses."Oh, God! Mia, no!," Vanessa cried out, trying her best to detach the over enthusiastic dog away from Egan, a feet not easily conquered. After multiple vigorous tugs, Mia was finally separated from her latest victim, Vanessa's hand still firmly clenched around the border collie's collar. "I am so sorry. She's normally super calm. She just get's a little excited when she likes someone,” Vanessa said, in between trying to catch her breath, her blushes now paired with the most insane urge to burst out laughing. My dog's better at hitting on guys than I am.

Egan hoped he wasn't keeping Vanessa from something as she was turning to her door. But when she turned he was some how glad. It seemed that, for right now anyway, she was the only thing close to being a friend. She was nice enough to show him around during all the chaos of when he showed up. Instead of turning her nose up and staying to see if the boy would survive the vampire attack she showed him around. He just hoped that he gave a good first impression because she certainly did. He enjoyed her company. She was different than most, quiet but sweet, reserved but caring. He could see it in her eyes. Those dark chocolate brown eyes that seemed to melt in to him. His heart beat quickened as he thought, really thought, about her beauty. She was one of those girl's that just had that natural beauty, unlike the Nina chick who had to dress herself up and flaunt it to show it. Her skin looked smooth to the touch and her hair was a nice shade of black that fell past her shoulders. And now was the first time that he noticed the scar on her neck. He was thoroughly intrigued by it, but decided it is best to ask about it later. When she spoke he looked up in to her eyes and gave a lazy smile which in turn made her smile.

"Oh, he just wanted-" She began but was interrupted by a big ball of fur escaping her room and pouncing on him. Egan laughed as his hand was engulfed by her wet tongue. He loved animals. He petted her as Vanessa yelled out no's to her and dragged her off and apologized. "Oh there is no need for apologies Van. Mia's just being friendly." He told her with a gentle smile as he walked up to Mia and squatted, petting her behind the ear.

"You're a good girl." He told her as he patted Mia's head and then stood rather close to Vanessa, he was able to see the subtle changes in color on her cheeks which he liked seeing. "At least she isn't 130 pounds. We had a Great Pyrenees one time at the Institute and he was a giant. Bigger than a Great Dane and pure muscle." Egan said as he shook his head. "Not many things can put me on the ground but he sure did." He laughed as he reminisced.

Bridget didn’t get a chance to answer before Oliver’s eyes found the familiar shape of Nina’s curvy body slip into his room. He had never wanted to slap a female so badly as she taunted him, the vicious glint in her eyes contrasting with her sugary sweet voice. Not being able to bring himself to look at the expression he could only imagine was painted across Bridget’s face, he kept his glare locked on the devious vixen standing in front of him. It took all of his strength not to explode with anger at the girl, but the last thing Bridget needed to see was him losing his temper once again. “I’m sorry if I gave you the impression that you were welcome to come barging in my room whenever you wanted, but this is me uninviting you. “ He tried to keep his voice steady but it still came out as a snarl. "Oh, and by the way, Godric just called a meeting of all the Shadowhunters in the sanctuary, so you two probably should get down there," Oliver practically sighed with relief at the girl’s words, welcoming the excuse to not have to try to apologize to Bridget about the intrusion. He didn’t pull his eyes off of Nina until she was safely out of the room once more before he turned back to Bridget, softening his gaze somewhat. The look on her face was cool, emotionless but he could see the glint of emotion dancing behind her beautiful eyes.“I guess we should go see what Godric wants…” He wanted to hold his hand out to her as he stood but refrained, not expecting her to appreciate the gesture at the moment. Waving for her to follow, he led the two of them silently down to the sanctuary. As they entered the cold room, his eyes opened wide at the sight of the vampire, memories of the night flashing through his mind. He said nothing as he took his place at the far wall of the room, his gaze never leaving the vampire.

Derek's eyes stayed locked on the ceiling, his hands folded up behind his head, as he tried to will sleep to take him. Sleep, unconsciousness, anything, really, as long as it took him away from all the thoughts, feelings, and memories that had been bouncing around inside his mind ever since he'd retreated to the silence of his room. He could practically hear the pings of the pin ball game going on inside his head, making his efforts to sleep ridiculous. Shifting his body so that he sat balanced on the edge of the small bed, Derek let out yet another sigh, his head falling down into his waiting hands. Out of all the scenes currently showing in his Mental Theater of Self-Pity, one stood out, more painful and humiliating than all the rest. When Oliver had walked out after being rejected by Godric, Derek's eyes had immediately flashed to Bridget, knowing even before she moved that she'd follow him. He hadn't even said anything, knowing that words wouldn't stop her. But, that didn't stop him from pleading with her, his eyes locking with hers, begging her to stay with him, to stay where it was safe. He saw the conflict in the beautiful depths of her eyes, watched as she weighed both sides. In the end, Oliver won that test as well. Slipping the smallest of smiles, Bridget turned, giving Derek the perfect view of her retreating back. Long after she'd disappeared behind the heavy, wooden door, Derek had continued to stand like an idiot, his gaze still tracked on the door. He would have gone after her, pulled her back by force, but, in doing that, he'd be destroying any chance he had left with her. Godric's call of dismissal was the last straw, the extermination of his last, ridiculous hope that Bridget would come rushing back through the doors. Pulling his mask of indifference back on, Derek had stoically exited the weapons room, revealing none of his feelings, as he'd made his way to his room. He'd tortured himself for hours with visions of Oliver and Bridget together, the pain coming as unfamiliar as it was unwelcome. He couldn't remember ever feeling this level of emotion before. Eventually, he'd switched his strategy from self-deprecation to his present one of trying to numb himself, at least momentarily.Fingers curling up into fist, Derek pressed them harder into his eyes, as if the pressure could erase all that he'd seen, all that he'd done. His broken nose still throbbed, a red hot pain, the gift Oliver had given him. I'll have to make a note to return the favor, he thought wryly, angrily knowing he'd have to seriously be provoked before he hit Oliver again. Sure, the walking idiot deserved more than just a punch, but Derek had seen what it had done to Bridget when they'd started fighting. He definitely wanted to avoid that look. Still, the pounding pain did make a very persuasive counter-offer, giving him the worst headache he'd ever had. It was like someone very small was locked inside his head, knocking, always knocking. Suddenly, the knocks weren't just in his head. They were real, coming from right across the hall. Curiosity got the best of him, and Derek slowly lifted his head, the knocks now only an echo. Realizing that he'd had enough of the whole suffer-in-silence bit, Derek reached for his shoes. Lacing them on, a process that normally took mere seconds, turned into a much more time consuming task, with his vision blearing every other moment. Once he'd finally got the damn things on, he made his way out into the hallway, only to find Egan and Vanessa. They abruptly ended the conversation upon seeing him. God, he must really look a mess. Before he could do anything but nod in there direction, the door a little farther down the hall opened. His door. Derek felt everything inside him clench up with an unexpected tension as he watched Bridget and Oliver exit the room. They were in his room. Together. Shit. He found he couldn't even say anything, could only watch as he walked beside her. Oliver's hand hovered just inches away from touching her back, a gesture of support of guidance. This is all wrong. I was supposed to be her support. Her shoulder to cry on. The sudden anger generating inside him exploded, taking control of a clenched fist, sending it forcefully into the wall next to him. God, that hurt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vanessa winced visibly as Derek stared down at his bruised hand. Both she and Egan had watched the whole, painful thing unfold, and, deep down, Vanessa found that she was able to recognize a familiarity in the wanting and shame filled eyes of Derek Grey. It was actually ironic, considering he'd been her 'Bridget'. She felt bad for him, knowing that his feelings for Bridget appeared to be much stronger than her little crush had been. Her infatuation had faded away quickly after she'd realized his feelings lay elsewhere. But Vanessa somehow knew his wouldn't fade the same way, if at all. Hoping that Egan's kind nature would understand her need to help, Vanessa slowly walked across the hall to where Derek stood."Come on, Derek. You can't get her back if you give up now," Vanessa said softly, her hand resting gently on his arm. Derek was no different than any number of the poor, orphan kids who'd come up to her, tears in their eyes, seeking reassurance that life wasn't all bad. It was the only way she was finding the confidence to speak so plainly."A little advice, though. You should probably think about changing you're strategy," Vanessa finished with a warm smile, humor lying underneath. Derek turned his head to stare down at the girl who was almost half his size. Realizing the truth in her words, he let a smile of his own show. The problem now fixed temporarily, Vanessa beckoned for Egan to join her and Derek as they both headed down to the Sanctuary. Once inside the doors, all of their focus shifted to the oddity of a vampire standing freely in front of so many Shadowhunters.(Now everyone's present lol)

Egan smiled gently at Vanessa and then looked down at the hall as another door was opened. He couldn't remember the guys name but knew he was the one that got in to it with the other kid. He was horrible with names, better with faces. Then all of the sudden the boy smashed his hand in to the wall and Egan perked a brow thinking how childish and stupid that was. Like that was really going to solve anything but just cause more pain for him and no one else. He then nodded at Vanessa as she left to go attend to the guy. He stood there and watched and petted on the border collie. When it was over Vanessa called him over and they all three went down to the Sanctuary where he saw the vampire. His fists crumbled together as they came closer, a look of concern on his face as to why this thing was here in the first place.

Jasper had been standing inches from Chester as they spoke. He wanted to know why Oliver and himself had been allowed to leave. What posessed the vampire to go against his clan leader and let the enemy live. However when it looked like Chester was about to answer the others had entered the room causeing Chester to go silent. Most likely from the sheer overwhelming number of shadowhunters that had just entered the room. Nodding at the vampire Jasper headed back to join the group. As he passed Godric the head gave him a nod that said 'I'll take it from here" a nod that Jasper simply returned. As Godric headed toward the vampire Jasper took his spot behind Mikki, wrapping his good arm around her waist with his hand resting on her stomach. Taking the time to look around the room Jasper took in what he saw. Olivia stood motherly as ever as she watched Godric, yet there was the slight edge of a warrior in her look. Derek looked rough, like he'd had one to many. Oliver, his parabati, looked serious, yet with a hint of happiness in his eyes. Jasper quickly registered Bridget standing particularly close to him, as if electricity was sparking between the two. Nina and Nathan stood close to one another, whispering with a hungry look in their eyes. Egan and Vanessa stood near Olivia, Vanessa looked nervous as ever, while Egan looked calm and collect aside from his balled up fists. Finally Jasper's gaze fell on Mikki, who like usual was always tense in any situation that could end in a fight. Jasper gave her a wry smile as Godric began to speak.-----------------------Godric had closed the space between him and the vampire, but not by much. As he looked at the creature before him he spoke in a friendly be authoritative tone, "Thank you for meeting with us. We understand you have news for us Mr....." he trailed off as he waited for the vampire to introduce himself.

Chester’s crimson eyes moved across the room slowly, taking in the faces of the shadowhunters, all of their eyes watching him closely, a mixture of caution and curiosity filling their expressions. When his eyes found the man standing in front of him, clearly the one in charge, he spoke softly.“My name is of little concern to you; for once I fulfill what I came for my days will be numbered.” A humorless smile curled the corners of his pale lips. “Though as for my reason for coming, it seems we now share a common enemy, though this may be unknown to you as of yet. I am going to assume that due to two of your young ones reckless appearance at our hotel, you are currently aware of the rouge vampire killings recently?” His eyes swept across the room to Jasper and Oliver, pausing for a long moment as visions of that night danced across his mind. “What you do not know is that this is not a random occurrence. It is in fact Christopher Demetrius, a vampire I know at least a few of you are familiar with.” Once again his eyes found Jasper, a tinge of sympathy behind the luminous crimson.“Though he is not working alone, we were approached in London by a man of your kin, a shodowhunter… He was unlike any I had seen before, though I never saw his face. He goes by the name Slade and he promised us anarchy, pure freedom from the laws of the Nephelim if we helped him cause chaos. I believe his plan is to destroy you.”He fell silent, dropping his gaze to the ground as the other occupants of the room began to murmur. It was done, he had betrayed his master, spoiled the plans that he himself had been a part of. It was as if a weight was lifted from his shoulders, all the evil he had done, the people he had killed. By siding with the enemy he was able to redeem even a fraction of his humanity before his now inevitable demise.

The moment she stepped into the Institute's Sanctuary, Lexi realized that the 'Game Plan', a nickname she and Kaleb had picked up to describe their dastardly schemes, was in serious jeopardy of being discovered. There, standing mere feet away from her and her brother, was Chester Bradshaw, one of the vampires who was aiding Slade in the mother of all Game Plans. Sharing a quick gaze with Kaleb, both retreated into a more shadowed area of the Sanctuary. Chester wasn't the lead vamp, but he would definitely be able to recognize the siblings as Slade's accomplices. Which would certainly be.... problematic. Lexi could barely contain the urge to pounce and eliminate the vampire. It was obvious Chester wasn't stopping by just for a friendly chat, the look of determination on his face revealed as much. Unfortunately, as the room continued to fill with Nephilim, both brother and sister were unable to do anything but watch in stony silence as Chester switched from Team Slade to Team Pathetic Nephilim Scum.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Derek entered the Sanctuary alongside Egan and Vanessa, his spirit somewhat restored. Vanessa was right. If Derek was to have any chance of getting Bridget back, a change of attitude wouldn't hurt. The negativity and self-deprecation wasn't getting him anywhere. Still, the sight of Bridget, perched on the arm of one of the few chairs that populated the room, sent a jolt of pain and longing through his heart. Oliver was hovering over her, one hand resting on the chair in almost a possessive manor. Derek was barely able to reign in his rage, only just deciding to focus all his attention on the vampire that this meeting was created for. Godric voiced the expected pleasantries. The vampire's suspicious reply seemed a bad start to whatever the creature had to offer. How could they trust the leeches information if he wouldn't even give them his name? “It seems we now share a common enemy, though this may be unknown to you as of yet. I am going to assume that due to two of your young ones reckless appearance at our hotel, you are currently aware of the rouge vampire killings recently?”Derek looked over at Jasper, choosing to avoid looking at Oliver for obvious reasons. The Shadowhunter appeared tense and agitated. But, what surprised Derek even more was the tender way he was holding Mikki. The normally aggressive mundane seemed almost comfortable, the only intensity in her gaze that was locked on the vampire. Apparently, he'd missed a lot while he'd been caught up in his pity party.“What you do not know is that this is not a random occurrence. It is in fact Christopher Demetrius, a vampire I know at least a few of you are familiar with. Though he is not working alone, we were approached in London by a man of your kin, a Shadowhunter… He was unlike any I had seen before, though I never saw his face. He goes by the name Slade and he promised us anarchy, pure freedom from the laws of the Nephelim if we helped him cause chaos. I believe his plan is to destroy you.”The shock from all that came as a response to the vampire's words, once they were taken in, was almost a visible presence in the room. Derek had barely registered the look that had passed between the vampire and Jasper, the news of such a plot having taken up all his attention. The vampire responsible for the rogue killings, Christopher Demetrius, was a name Derek remembered from history. Christopher had been a key player in the rebellions before the Accords had been signed. Seemed that he was back for another go, partnered this time with one of the Nephilim's own. Derek had never heard the name, but that didn't mean that this Slade was any less dangerous than the vampire made him seem. With the fighting power of thousands of Downworlders hell bent on the old ways, Slade could very well prove a daunting enemy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vanessa listened intently as the rogue vampire revealed a plot that she was almost positive no one had seen coming. The picture of an army full of Downworlders hungering for the death of her, all her friends, and the very life she'd come to be familiar with sent a shiver through her entire frame. She reached out a hand to run her shaking fingers through Mia's fur, a reflex that had always calmed her in the past, but Mia was waiting outside in the hallway. Instead, Vanessa's fingers only met the air that had turned icy the minute the vampire had started talking. Rubbing her arms to try to get some measure of warmth back, Vanessa realized she had never felt so vulnerable in her life.

Bridget followed Oliver to the Sanctuary, grateful for the new distraction that might just keep her from thinking about what had just happened between her, Oliver, and Nina. Although at first she'd been horrified with her childhood friend's horrible timing, Oliver's quick dismissal of Nina pleased Bridget, even to the point that she could ignore the sickly sweet, taunting words she'd said probably just to irritate Bridget herself. Bridget had kept her face calm and cool as her emotions shifted from rage to joy, and continued with this emotionless expression as the vampire unveiled his news for the Shadowhunters.Bridget succeeded with outwardly keeping her emotions in check, but as Chester continued to speak, the thought of one of their own raising an army of Downworlders to eventually lead to the destruction of their race scared Bridget, as much as she hated to admit it. She glanced around the room, trying to gauge everyone else's reaction. Expressions varied from shocked to scared, and Bridget just barely caught Nina and Nathan sinking into the background before she realized she didn't know how Oliver felt about this, and that she greatly cared to know.Unknowingly, she'd been scooting closer to Oliver, as if she was subconsciously reaching out for protection in the event of this new-found, very dangerous threat. Looking up at him briefly, Bridget saw that his expression was just as blank as hers, portraying a calm demeanor, but after staring for a moment longer, she could have sworn she saw some unknown emotion in his eyes. At that exact moment he looked back at her, eye contact made, and she found it hard to break, finally tearing her gaze away from his to return her attention to the others.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Olivia kept her eyes on Godric, watching his every move as the threat of Slade was revealed to them. Although Godric seemed perfectly in control, of course his precious wife Liv could see the tension in the way his he held his shoulders, and the worry in his eyes. She moved closer to him, offering her support in any way she can. She recognized the name of Christopher, but the name Slade was new to her, but she instantly established it with apprehension and unease. Knowing that although she had an equal say in whatever went on, she decided to let Godric speak for them both, knowing that he would say what needed to be said and she'd have no issue with it. Although she was troubled with what lied ahead, she knew that with Godric she'd be okay.

Godric had remained completely still as the vampire spoke, an icy shiver of dread dancing across his skin. He could feel his stomach tighten at the serious threat that now seemed to hover over the Institute, though he betrayed no hint of his fear. He knew the teenagers would be looking to him for how to react, so he kept his broad shoulders squared and his face emotionless. He wished he could immediately dismiss the vampires words as false, though something from the story rang true, this was not the first time he had heard the name Slade, and the threat of Christopher was very much real. He remained silent for a long moment after the creature stopped speaking, assessing the level of tension buzzing through the room, he let his gaze flicker quickly around the room at the tense faces of his kids. His wife had moved close to him and though he didn’t reach for her, her closeness gave him a sense of strength. “These are some very serious accusations.” He started, keeping his tone steady as he assessed the emotionless eyes of the vampire.“I am all too familiar with the threat Christopher posses against the Nephilim. By your knowledge of him, am I correct in assuming that you are his fledgling? His right hand as I’ve heard it, Chester, if memory serves me?” He cast a quick glance at Jasper and a brief nod of his head confirmed the vampire’s identity.“If this is the case Chester, then how am I supposed to trust the information you’ve shared with us today? Am I really to believe that the one who assuredly knows Christopher’s evil better than any of us is really here betraying him to his enemy?” Forgive me for my lack of faith but…” The vampire held up a hand to stop him, the creature sucking in an unnecessary breath that sounded like a hiss.“Let’s just say that he has taken something dear to me, and I have made it my last act to see that he will be destroyed for his sins.” Godric processed the words for a long moment; so they were being used for a desperate vampires revenge, he could only assume that this was the true purpose for the creation of the Nephemil, he thought bitterly to himself.“Very well, I’ve heard the name Slade before.” He turned slightly to acknowledge the others, this explanation meant more for them than the vampire. “I’m sure you’re all familiar with the family name, Blackwell… well one branch of the Blackwell family had decided to remove themselves from the Claive, live a mundane life, so naturally all communications was cut off aside from the yearly visits from the Claive to seek out their son, Slade Blackwell. Well once he was of age Slade had wanted to abandon his parents and join the ranks… but before he could be reclaimed his parents had taken him away. Nobody heard from the Blackwells for two years then one day Slade shows up at the London Institute, covered in blood and claiming he was ready to be trained as a Shadowhunter… Well it turns out he had murdered his parent, slaughtered would be a better word… The Clave obviously denied him. They cursed him for his crimes and banished him… Nobody had heard from him since.” Gordic sighed, the story weighing heavily on his mind. He had only been a boy when this had happened, no older than the kids standing in front of him.“I suppose revenge for being cursed and banished seems like legitimate motive for wanting to wipe out the Nephilim… It’s obvious the man was never stable….” Godric let his gaze find the vampire again. “You should remain here, in the Sanctuary. If all you say is true than you are in great danger.” The vampires burst of laughter in response almost made Godric jump.“If you think I will be safe here than you are a fool, no one can keep me safe now. I’d worry less about my safety and focus more on your own. None of you are safe here, and are you really so certain of all that reside here in your safe haven? I may look like then enemy but Slade has eyes everywhere.” He scanned his crimson eyes across the room, letting his gaze rest on each and every face of the children standing in front of him. The thought made another shiver run down Godrics spine.

“I have nothing more to share with you shadowhunter; and seeing as time is limited for both of us, please believe me when I say, good luck.” With that, the vampire was gone, leaving behind him a faint breeze and a shadow of dread hanging over all of them. Godric ran a hand through his hair, turning to look at his kids. The vampires warning ringing through his head, an enemy could be standing right in front of him, wearing the face of a kid he had sworn to protect. His eyes traveled to each face, those that he had watched grow up, and to those he had just met. “This is bad.” Was all he could whisper, finally reaching out to take his wife’s hand, cradling it protectively between his large palms.“We need to contact the Claive, immediately. Olivia, if you would come with me to the library. Everyone else, sit tight. Stay together for now; head up to the dining room, if you have to separate then stay in pairs, just to be safe. Once we send word to the Claive, we will gather in the library and discuss things. ”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Oliver had remained perfectly still through the explanations, his breathing coming in shallow huffs. It all left a bad taste in his mouth, everything the leech had said, especially the part about the traitor inside the Institute. He also couldn’t help but feel he had gotten a few sideways glances after that accusation had been spoken; the one that stung the most was from Godric. He could feel Bridget standing tensely at his side, he eyes on him. Looking down, their eyes met and he could read the hidden anxiety in her eyes. Without thinking, he wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders, pulling her against him to close the small distance that had still remained between them. Leaning his head down, he whispered softly,“It’s going to be okay. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” Before giving her a quick kiss on the cheek and returning his gaze to the others as Godric gave his orders. Everyone moved to shuffle out of the room, everyone hanging closely together. Oliver kept his grip on Bridget as they followed the others out of the room.

~ ~ ~ ~ I had taken every bit of self-control Kaleb possessed to stay still through their little meting and not put a blade through the leeches heart. How dare he betray them, after everything Slade had promised him, he could only hope that he was the one who got to deal with the rat. The only plus side to the whole ridiculous endeavor was the smell of fear that clung to the room. This hadn’t been part of the plan, but the fear was almost like ecstasy to him, making not killing the vamp worth every second of his control. They now knew too much, and though they were luck to avoid being pointed out, it wasn’t safe for them to hang around any longer. Things needed to happen, tonight. As everyone filed out of the room, he caught his sisters hand.“We need to talk.” He hissed, slipping on his ‘nice guy’ face as he waved to pretty boy Derek.“Hey, Nina’s pretty freaked out. I’m going to take her to the kitchen to get her some water; we’ll meet you guys up there.” With a nod from Derek, he wrapped a loving arm around his sister and led her down the hall. Once the other were out of sight, they changed course to his room, leaving his protective pretence at the door as he shoved his sister inside roughly.“This is not good. It’s time to get that little bitch to do what we need and we get the hell out of here, tonight.”

Egan stepped up behind Vanessa as the vampire began speaking. Mainly to Godric. He heard a few names that he wasn't familiar with so his eyes scanned the room to gauge the reactions of his fellow Shadowhunters. It seemed some knew of this man known as Slade. He could've sworn he saw Godric's jaws jump at the name. So this Slade wanted to get rid of them? Big deal? Who didn't? Egan didn't see that harm in all this, at least he would finally be able to get some action in. He did, however, catch the two siblings slinking off into the shadows, his eyes narrowed in the slightest but his attention fell back on the vampire that stood before them all. At the mention of spies among them Egan felt a tinge of fear. He had just gotten here and he knew he would immediately be looked at as the threat. And what could he really do to persuade these people otherwise? It was his word against theirs and they didn't know him. And then there was the siblings, there was something definitely off about them, Egan just didn't know what. He saw the shock and fear in everyone's eyes. His showed no such thing but eagerness. Maybe this was his time to prove himself. Maybe he could go off and search people's rooms for clues that might suggest who is the spy. Vanessa seemed cold and Egan shrugged off his jacket and placed it over her shoulders. "We'll be alright." He whispered to her in an easy southern tone. He believed it too, he was cocky like that. As everyone began to file out of the room, he followed. He ran a hand through his dirty blond hair and tried to think of a way to slink out of anyone's eyesight and do some exploring and investigating of his own.

((Sorry guys!! It's been so long but I just had to check in and saw an update and I'm so glad this is going back underway!))

Catching the drift of Kaleb's plan almost immediately, Lexi leaned closer into her brother's chest, her face visible enough so that the other's would see her wide-eyed expression of shock and fear. It was easy enough to copy, half of the so called Shadowhunters present sported the very same expression, whether they knew it or not. It was pathetic. Golden Boy bought it hook-line-and-sinker, his focus fortunately diverted to the sickly sweet scene Bridget and Oliver were playing out. Lexi almost wanted to stay and watch the terribly heart-wrenching episode, knowing it would be extremely entertaining for her. However, Kaleb's grip on her arm intensified, forcing her out of the Sanctuary and up a flight of stairs. She hated when he got like this, handling her like she had been the one to gift wrap the loose-lipped leech straight to the Institute."Calm yourself, brother," Lexi snapped, throwing off her brother's grip the minute they'd reached Kaleb's room. "You're acting exactly like our prey downstairs, fool of emotions and not knowing how to control them. I feel the heat as much as you."Sitting down on the dull-grey blanket covering the bed, Lexi fiddled with the gold chain bracelet circling her small wrist. She had to choose her next words carefully, or else her brother was likely to fall into another hissy fit."It's really not as bad as it seems, darling. All we have to do is confront Bridget tonight, let slip we have her precious parents, and give her our terms. Once all the pathetic blah is over, she'll agree, giving Slade his weapon inside the Institute. And then we, dear brother, will finally bust out of this nunnery for good. Who knows, maybe we'll come across an unsuspecting mundane party on the way back. I have been so craving a good party." Lexi smiled devilishly up at her brother, knowing he'd be itching for a good bloodletting as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Godric recounted the history of Slade, Derek suddenly remembered his adoptive parents talking about Slade. Derek had just been a boy, but he still remembered the picture they'd painted of a deranged, young man, so motivated that he'd killed his own parents to get what he wanted. And this man was after the Institute? Derek could tell that Godric wanted more from the vampire, but the leech seemed to have shared all he'd come to. He was gone just like that, barely a gust of wind to shown that he'd ever been there at all. Derek still found the whole thing suspicious, but the news did sound genuine. “We need to contact the Claive, immediately. Olivia, if you would come with me to the library. Everyone else, sit tight. Stay together for now; head up to the dining room, if you have to separate then stay in pairs, just to be safe. Once we send word to the Claive, we will gather in the library and discuss things. ”Derek waited for their leaders to exit first, before following the stream heading out of the Sanctuary. He had almost made it past the heavy, wooden doors when he caught a most disturbing sight. Oliver was comforting an obviously shaken Bridget, even going so far as to kiss her cheek. His fists immediately clenched, an action that was becoming quite a habit. He briefly registered Nathan coming up to him with a visibly upset Nina. Derek nodded at whatever question was asked, not really caring about anything other than how exactly he was going to get Oliver to regret ever touching Bridget.

~~~~~~~~~~~Vanessa listened intently to Godric's brief history lesson on Slade. The man seemed to have jumped straight out of one of her nightmares. After the attack on her family, she'd had many random night terrors. Lately, they'd come less and less into her dreams. Guess there goes that winning streak. She'd definitely be having a nightmare of the vicious, blood thirsty Slade. Just when Vanessa thought she wouldn't be able to take much more, she felt the brush of soft leather, followed by an almost knee-buckling flood of warmth. Looking up at Egan, she found she couldn't even begin to thank him for the support. "We'll be alright," Egan whispered. Hearing him say those words, Vanessa could almost believe that things would be alright. But, as she made her way out, Vanessa caught sight of Derek on the verge of approaching Oliver for another fight. Lightly touching him on the arm, she was able to break his focus long enough to lead him fully out of the Sanctuary. "I know it's hard to watch, Derek. But, we've got bigger things to think about now. Maybe you could go see her after the library meeting," Vanessa suggested with a hopeful smile. Derek seemed to accept the idea, as he made his way up the stairs alongside her and Egan in a stony silence.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~Mikki observed the entire conversation between the leech and Godric with a guarded air. Her hand stayed glued in her jacket pocket, still gripping the silver knife she always kept with her. Though the others believed in the vamp's good intentions, Mikki was going to follow her rule of thumb when it came to the bloodsuckers: Any good leech was a dead leech. All the way dead, that is. Even Jasper's protective hold on her couldn't serve to ease her tension. She'd gleaned a few funny sounding names from the conversation, enough to understand that a real bad ass son of a bitch was looking to kill her new friends. Now, that didn't really sit well with her. It seemed like a fight was imminent. Which was just fine with her. Making her way out with all the others, she was already listing which weapons would best dispatch multiple attackers at once.

Olivia followed her husband out of the room, leaving the teenagers in a shocked, rare silence. Godric didn't stop to wait and Olivia, a step behind him, turned to shut the door as they left, catching once quick glance at the kids she considered her children. They seemed calm to the average observer, but of course Liv could see the underlying worry and concern. She frowned at the thought of one of them being hurt, reminded of Jasper's injury that he had just recovered from, and tried to stop those thoughts as soon as the door obstructed her view of the group, the door closing with a low thud that spoke of finality.Liv turned back to Godric, only to find that while she'd been pausing for a moment, he'd taken several steps ahead of her. Taking a few long strides, she regained her place by his side, lacing her hand through his as they turned a corner. She squeezed his hand as they entered the library. As Godric contacted the Clave, Olivia made her way around the library, perusing books as if one of them would be of use to her. Unfortunately, there were no how-to novels providing a manner of escape for the Shadowhunters or a plan of action. "They Clave has summoned us, Liv. The Council needs to hear what we have to say first hand," Godric broke Olivia from her quiet pondering, and she frowned at his words. What more did they have to say? Olivia didn't want to leave the Institute at a time like this, but she wouldn't dare make Godric go alone."I'll go get a bag together," Olivia said quietly, rearranging her expression so that she appeared cool and calm. "The kids should be making their way down here pretty soon. I'll be back in a few." She left the library quickly, nodded to the teens she saw in the hallway who were waiting for entrance, permitting them to proceed. Once she returned, bag in hand with the essentials the couple would need for an overnight trip, all of the Shadowhunters and Mikki had joined in the library, everyone on edge and trying not to show it.Standing by Godric, she set the bag at their feet and turned to the group. "Godric and I have to go to the Clave. We're leaving now so that we can be back as soon as we can hopefully with more information and a better plan of action. I trust you all to be safe while we're gone. We shouldn't be too long," Olivia turned to her husband, allowing him to finish with whatever he had to say.

As Godric and Olivia left the library and consequently the Institute, Bridget quickly followed on their heels, unwilling to interact with anyone. However, her destination was different from the Heads, and the girl made her way upstairs to her bedroom. She'd left Oliver, who had gone to get dinner in the dining room, claiming she wasn't hungry and bypassing food for her comfortable bed. She'd casually mentioned that he could stop by her room later if he wanted, and although she hoped he would, Bridget wanted some time to collect herself first. Having reached the top of the stairs, Bridget thought she heard someone else starting to walk up, so she took quick steps to her bedroom door. She wasn't quite sure where everyone else was, but there weren't many people she wanted to deal with right now. Mikki, she knew, had gone to the dining room to get food as well, much to Oliver's irritation. Jasper may have gone with her, but that still left several other inhabitants that weren't accounted for in Bridget's mind. Just as she turned the door knob, so close to entering her room, Bridget heard the sickly sweet voice of Nina calling her name. Turning back around, Bridget got her answer as to who had been walking up the stairs behind her. The siblings stood before her, her childhood friends, and once again Bridget was amazed at how time could change people.

"You're acting exactly like our prey downstairs, full of emotions and not knowing how to control them. I feel the heat as much as you." Anger surged through Kaleb like red-hot fire; his hand whipping out to back-hand her across the face, his blow unchecked. The hit knocked her back on the bed, though if the strike had hurt her, there was no way it hadn’t, she would never show it. With a growl he began to pace as his sister righted herself, clenching and unclenching his fists as he moved from wall to wall like a caged lion, hungry for blood. “This wasn’t how this was supposed to go. Damn leech. As soon as we’re done here he is going to wish he had never been reborn.” Kaleb growled under his breath, rage still licking at his skin like an uncontrollable flame, making his movements jerky and wild. He had been calm for so long, forcing a smile and interacting with the occupants of this pathetic place, masking his rage and thirst for blood. He could feel his mask slipping, feel the facade of Nathan being eaten away by the madness beneath. Abruptly stopping his pacing in front of his sister, he ran a hand through his dark hair, his gaze locking on the welt that was now forming on her cheek. He reached out, cupping her cheek and brushing a thumb across the wound with uncharacteristic gentleness as an evil glint danced behind his dark eyes.“No, you’re right. It’s not that bad. We just need to act swiftly. The sooner we do, the sooner we get out of this place.” A smile danced across his face as he pressed his thumb into the welt, smearing the small bead of blood that had appeared on her cheekbone from the stolen Markfeather ring he wore before bringing his thumb to his lips and licking the crimson liquid away. He opened his mouth to speak again but the sound of footsteps in the hall made his freeze before quietly moving to the door and opening it just enough to peek out.“It’s her.” He mouthed to his sister, waving her over. Bridget was alone in the hall, heading for her room, no sounds of anyone else anywhere nearby.“We do this now.” Pushing Lexi out the door before him, he didn’t bother to put on the face of Nathan again as they cornered Bridget outside her door. Without a word he grabbed the younger girl by the arm and pushed her into her room, motioning for his sister to close the door behind them. “Sit down and shut the hell up. I’m only going to say this once so you better listen, got it?” He pushed Bridget backwards towards the bed.“I’m going to skip the preamble here; clearly you’re not intelligent enough to have figured this out for yourself so I guess I can shatter the illusion and say that we’re not your darling Markfeather’s. And before you ask, yes. They are very much dead.” A wicked smile twisted his lips as he gave the Markfeather ring a spin for emphasis. “Though there’s good news for you yet, your parents are alive. They are being held captive and if you ever want to see them alive again, you will do everything that we say.” As she opened her mouth to speak, he held up a hand and pulled a white envelope from the inner pocket of his leather jacket, tossing it towards her. Watching in silence as Bridget read through the letter, her eyes wide, he had to hold back a chuckle as the look of recognition passed behind her eyes. He knew what she was seeing, her mother’s handwriting in a letter that stated they were alive and the only chance of their survival rested with their daughter and her willingness to obey. Mock-demons could be so much fun. After the girl had read through the letter multiple times, he finally snatched it back, stuffing it back into his pocket before continuing. “Unfortunately our time in this lovely place has come to a close but that’s where you come in, my dear. You will act as a spy for us, we will send you a raven every two days and you will write a letter letting us know any move the Claive makes. I expect you to get nice and cozy with Godric and learn as much about their plans as possible. If we do not hear from you or think you are feeding us lies, the next raven you receive with be carrying one of your parents limbs, got it?” He paused for a long moment, letting the threat sink in, his smile widening as it contorted his handsome face into an evil mask.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

With a sigh of exasperation, Jasper had stomped out of the kitchen, unable to listen to Oliver and Mikki snap at each other any longer. His head was pounding and his injured shoulder had begun to throb as the Iratze he had put on before the meeting began to wear off. Nothing sounded better then flopping down in his bed and hearing nothing but silence for a while so he could collect his thoughts. It had been a painfully long day and the tension hung in the air of the Institute thickly, putting everybody on edge. As he rounded the corner to the corridor of the bedrooms, he just managed to catch a glimpse of Nathan and Nina shoving Bridget violently into her room, snapping the door shut behind them. Brows furrowing together in confusion, Jasper quietly crept up to the door, placing his ear against the wood. He could hear Nathan speaking, but there was something weird about it, his voice having dropped several octaves. It didn’t take long for Jasper to put the pieces together, these where who Chester was talking about when he said there were spies. When Nathan finally stopped talking, Jasper quickly pulled a knife from his belt with his good hand before shouldering the door open. He threw his first blade at Nathan, but the boy moved with lightening speed, ducking so the knife landed hilt deep in the wall behind him. Jasper moved for another blade but the strike from Nina came first, sending him stumbling forward, he moved to throw a punch as Nathan seized him from behind but it was already too late.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“Great, I’m going to get in trouble for that ya’ know?” Oliver grumbled, gesturing to where his Parabatai had just stormed out of the room. He figured he should feel bad, he knew his friend was overly fond of the Mundane, but something about the obnoxious girl made him want to punch things, repeatedly. Preferably her. Slamming the cupboard he had pulled a glass down from, he moved to fill it with water from the tap, mumbling to the faucet.“I don’t even know why you’re still here.” Turning to shoot a glare at Mikki, a shooting pain in his chest knocked the wind out of him, causing him to drop the freshly filled cup, the glass shattering at his feet as he clutched at the rune drawn just over his heart.“Jasper.” With that he was gone, flying up the stairs, letting the pain in his chest lead him to where he knew his friend was. Bridget’s door was the only one open in the hall; in a few strides he was standing in the doorway, the sight making his blood run cold. Nathan pulled the blade out with a smile as he saw Oliver, their eyes meeting for a long moment before he pushed a limp Jasper towards him. Oliver could only move to catch his friend as he watched Nathan push his sister out the window and jump out after her, disappearing in a flash into the night. Sinking to the floor with Jasper in his arms, he could already feel the front of him coated thickly in the other boys blood. His hands shook as he laid his friend on his back, ripping open his blood soaked shirt to access the damage. The strike had been deliberate, meant to sever the spine but just inches away from his heart. It was meant to be fatal but more importantly, it was meant to be slow and painful. “What the Hell happened!” He screamed at a stunned Bridget as he pulled his Stele from his belt. Healing rune after healing rune just disappeared into Jaspers skin as the blood continued to pour from the wound. In a fit of frustration, Oliver threw his stele against the far wall before shrugging off his jacket to press to the wound in an attempt to staunch the flow of blood but the thin material was soaked within seconds. Bringing his blood soaked hands up to cup his friends face; he tapped the boy’s cheek gently.“Jazz, Jazzy. Come on bud, look at me. Stay with me okay?” His voice was frantic as he tried to keep his friends eyes from slipping shut. Jasper looked at him through half-lidded eyes; bring a weak hand up to grasp one of Oliver’s.“Take care of her for me, okay?” Jasper whispered, the blood beginning to bubble at the corners of his lips. “No, no. Come on. Stay with me, don’t you dare close your eye!” Oliver was shouting now, his parabatai rune blazing with pain. It felt as if someone was trying to burn it from his flesh with an open flame. A small smile began to form at Jasper’s lips as his gaze fell on Mikki who had at some point come to kneel on the other side of him. Reaching a hand up to touch her cheek gently before his hand fell and he sucked in his last breath. As his eyes closed, the pain in Oliver’s chest ceased. It was as if someone had suddenly plunged him in icy water, extinguishing the flame and severing the bond. All that was left was an unbearable emptiness.“No, no, NO. You took an oath god dammit, you swore never to go where I couldn’t follow you. What the hell am I supposed to do now?” The last part was nearly a whisper as his shoulders hunched, his head hanging over his friend in defeat. “You weren’t supposed to leave without me…”

Lexi had known that Kaleb had been lusting for blood, but she'd hadn't known how much until his ring-clad hand collided with the side of her head. The whip-like motion momentarily stunned her, not surprising considering the amount of power her brother had put into the blow. But, Lexi was never one to show pain or wallow in it. Shaking her hair back out of her face, Lexi turned her face back to her brother. Her eyes glared up at him, an energy behind that promised retribution for his offense. However, Lexi understood what Kaleb obviously didn't. The plan Slade had given them was far too important to be sidetracked by petty, sibling drama. So, instead of slamming his head into the mirror across the room, Lexi took a deep breath and routed her rage into squeezing the living hell out of the sheets. Kaleb seemed more focused on ranting about their horrible situation than he was concerned with his sister's possible retaliation. Lucky for him I know how to stay focused.A sick sort of smile played across his face as Kaleb approached her again. Sure, she was focused, but he wouldn't be getting another chance to hit her again. Yet, instead of another blow, her brother gently stroked the injured cheek. Lexi would have been surprised if she hadn't seen the characteristic crazed glint in his eyes that hinted at the rage underneath.“No, you’re right. It’s not that bad. We just need to act swiftly. The sooner we do, the sooner we get out of this place.”Exactly what I just said. She literally wanted to scream that in his face, but instead she stayed silent. She didn't even wince when he pressed his thumb into the sorest part of the welt, gathering the blood onto his finger and bringing it to his mouth to lick. Strange move, but still not surprising. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps down the hall caused both sibling's heads to snap over to the door. Catching the words her brother mouthed, Lexi inwardly cheered. Maybe she'd be able to exercise some of her rage on little Miss Perfect. She only just allowed herself to be pushed out the door, knowing she'd have satisfaction soon. Following her brother and Bridget into her room, Lexi reveled in the pathetic astonishment that painted Bridget's face. Oh, she had no idea the hell that was about to rain down.“I’m going to skip the preamble here; clearly you’re not intelligent enough to have figured this out for yourself so I guess I can shatter the illusion and say that we’re not your darling Markfeather’s. And before you ask, yes. They are very much dead.” Lexi watched as the realization of her friend's deaths finally sunk in for Bridget. The astonishment turned into the rawest most heart wrenching pain. It was delicious. Kaleb went on to explain that Bridget's parents were being held captive, alive but not for long if Bridget decided to be difficult. The hope that flared in the girl's eyes was too sweet, and Lexi basked in it, knowing full well Bridget's parents had been dead for quite a while. But the poor sap would only find this out after she had been used for Slade's purposes. Bridget would act as a spy, sending word of all the goings on at the Institute, including any plans that would surely be formed. She'd do this if she ever wanted to see her parents again. And, oh how Bridget pined for them. It was obvious she'd do anything to see them again. Perfect.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mikki continued to dig the dirt chunks off her combat boots, using her trusty dagger. She'd paused momentarily to watch Jasper walk out, obviously exasperated with the bickering between herself and Oliver. She'd felt a small ounce of regret as she watched him leave, which said a lot because she sure did enjoy poking Oliver's (aka Dumbass or Asshole or *insert profanity here*) buttons. He was probably one of the few opponents in ass handing that she'd ever gone up against that had actually put up a valiant effort. " Look," Mikki exclaimed, stretching her arms out wide to the empty air, knife still in hand. "Look at all the cares I give. Oh there aren't any? Sucks for you." Mikki then resumed her project, that was making quite a mess of the kitchen floor. As demonstrated, she didn't give many cares. "I go where I want to go, Shadowhunter. And, for your information, Jasper wants me here. So, be jealous all you want, and I'll just giggle behind my back because you're obsession with him is the cutest thing ever," Mikki snapped, starting to get tired of their witty-insult-war. She was getting tired in general. The day had been quite a bitch. She was just on the verge of getting up to find Jasper and a cozy place to lay down, when she heard the shattering of glass. Oliver ground out Jasper's name before sprinting out of the kitchen. Mikki had no idea what was going on, but she felt the wrongness of it. And if it had to do with Jasper, nothing would keep her away. Keeping her knife clenched in her right hand, she jumped up and swiftly followed the way Oliver had gone. She raced up multiple stairs and as many hallways, finally stopping in front of an open door. The sight that greeted her would forever haunt her dreams.Mikki briefly registered Bridget and Nina present in the room. Then her focus was truly caught by Jasper. It was all wrong, so very, very wrong. There was a knife protruding from his back, the area around it already staining with the dark crimson of blood. Distantly, she heard a choking gasp, not really caring that it came from her. All she cared about was getting closer to Jasper, who now lay crumbled on the floor in Oliver's arms. In retrospect, Mikki knew she should have been more focused on keeping Nina and Nate, Jasper's attackers, from escaping. But, as she immediately knelt down beside him, Mikki realized that nothing mattered more than Jasper. She heard Oliver's urgent cries as if from another room. It was all muffled, as she clutched Jasper's hand. Why was it so goddamn cold? It shouldn't be cold, it couldn't be. Oliver was trying iratze after iratze, but none were working. This hit her like a shot, causing her whole body to start shaking with an emotion she rarely felt. Fear. She'd only just found him, only just begun to care again. She was wrong earlier. She cared a lot, especially for this man before her. A man that was slowly dying.“Take care of her for me, okay?” Jasper's voice reached her, plain and clear though it was not directed at her. She did want to be taken care of. But, by Jasper only. And then his half-closed eyes turned on her, and she felt all the power of it, knowing that she was slowly crumbling inside. Because he was going to die, right in front of her. And she couldn't stop it. His hand was so cold, now against her cheek. It felt so much like a good bye, and she hated it."Jasper.....no. You can't do this. I can't fight this....I can't," Mikki whispered, her body filled with an aching sorrow that felt too big for her. She wanted him to stay so badly. But, fate had other plans. His eyes slowly shut, his hand falling limp in her grasp. Mikki's gaze widened in shock, her eyes flicking from his closed eyes to his chest that no longer moved with breaths. And, all of a sudden, it hit. He was dead, really dead. Dropping his hand like it was on fire, Mikki pushed herself as far away from his lifeless body as possible. It was so wrong. The understanding came to her then that she'd never hear him speak again, never tease him playfully, never feel his lips against her own. Sobs racked her body as she cried, shamelessly in a corner, squeezing her eyes shut to the nightmare in front of her.

`````````````````````````Derek had been heading back down from the roof with Vanessa and Egan, when the sound of loud voices met his ears. Adhering to his Shadowhunter instinct, he raced to the origin of the commotion, his heart skipping a beat when he recognized the room as Bridget's. His eyes found her the minute he passed into the room. Satisfied that she was perfectly fine, other than being a little shaken, Derek focused his attention on the others in the room. His blood ran cold at the scene that met his eyes. Jasper was pale, Oliver hunched over him, and Mikki sat, crumbled and sobbing in a corner. Jasper was dead? How? "Derek, you need to go get Godric," Vanessa said, touching his shoulder to get his attention. Turning to face her, he found her just as pale as Jasper's body. Her voice had been strained when she'd spoken. But, of course she was right. Taking one last shocked look at Jasper, Derek raced out of the room.

```````````````````````````````Vanessa watched Derek fly from the room, knowing he'd find Godric the quickest. She had no idea where this calm since of authority was coming from. Normally, she would have been frozen with fear at the first sign of death or even a simple injury. But, she wasn't going to question the gift. Who knew how long it would last? The sound of sobbing caught her attention, and Vanessa's heart pained at the sight of MIkki curled up against the dresser, crying with every fiber of her being. Vanessa cautiously approached the proud mundane, not knowing what to expect from this girl in grief. Kneeling down, she hesitantly placed a hand on Mikki's blonde head. The girl made no reaction. A string of words was breaking through the sobbing, intermingling with the tears."He's dead.....he's gone...."

Egan was looking for his escape. A way to slip off somewhere and start looking for clues. He was ambitious, very cocky, and so it led him to sometimes be impulsive. He wanted nothing more than to prove himself. Make people remember his name and the name of his ancestry. They weren't known for much, but he would change that. Though he was knocked out of his thoughts when commotion struck his ears and along with Vanessa and Derek he took off towards the sounds. He stuttered to a halt when he saw Jasper laying limp in Oliver's arms and Mikki sobbing almost uncontrollably. Egan gritted his teeth and began to back away. It was those siblings. He knew it, he knew something was off with them. Perhaps he could go after them, find them, bring one back and kill the other. Prove himself that way. All he wanted was validation that he was worth something. No one knew him here, he was all alone. His eyes wandered to Vanessa wearing his jacket and he smiled as she comforted Mikki. This sort of chaos was just the edge he needed. Egan turned on his heel and took off down the stairs and out the door where it was pouring. He was breathing heavily and looked down both streets, trying to imagine the escape route the siblings took. With his dagger in hand he took off down the alley, the window they no doubt used to jump out of just above him. Egan twirled his dagger and began sprinting off in the direction he suspected they would go. It would be the direction he would've went.

((I figured this could be about the time the siblings start to corrupt poor Egan since he is so eager to have someone be proud of him and he turns semi-evil ))

Bridget struggled against Nathan as he shoved her into the room, practically throwing her on the bed, all while Nina watched with an unpleasant grin, shutting the door behind them. Bridget blinked as Nathan delivered the first bomb of information, that her childhood friends were actually quite dead, and the two that were standing before her were not them. She swallowed her fear, looking up to meet Nathan's cruel gaze, and started with a "then who are you?" but he continued like she hadn't spoken, and at the mention of her parents, Bridget shut her mouth again, her interest peaked more than ever before.Bridget caught the letter the guy, whatever his real name was, threw at her, and looked at the siblings only a moment more before tearing her gaze down to the paper. Her eyes instantly filled with tears at the sight of her mother's familiar handwriting, so much so that it took a moment longer for her to even be able to read the content of the writing. She scanned it quickly, felt the hope bloom in her chest, and then read it again, and again, as if reading the words that her parents were alive, captive, but alive, would make them appear before her very own eyes. Whatever grief she'd felt at knowing of the death of her childhood friends was quite quickly overshadowed by the chance of seeing her parents again. Within seconds, Bridget felt happier than she had since their death, as if time had been reversed and she'd been given a second chance.Bridget was foolishly thinking that she might even be able to leave the Institute and go back to living in her home with her parents when these new-found hopes were shattered with Nathan's requirement. He snatched the letter back, the only proof Bridget had that her parent's were alive, and with it Bridget's heart sunk once again. Oh, how badly she wanted to see her parents, but the cost of her friends' safety was almost too high of a price. It was with horror that Bridget realized that price was one she'd be willing to pay, though.Bridget was just about to agree when Jasper burst through the door, aiming to hurt whoever was closest. As Nathan easily dodged his blow, Bridget stood up from the bed to grab him, while Jasper's attention was diverted by Nina. However, almost as quickly as she'd sunk her nails into Nathan's arm, he threw her off like she was a rag-doll, and Bridget collided with the wall, her body making an unpleasant noise as it hit the plaster, her head snapping against the hard surface. Bridget closed her eyes for a moment as stars danced around her vision, the pain blossoming from the back of her head and radiating down through her body.As soon as she could, not wasting a moment, Bridget made her eyes reopen and forced herself up, just in time to see Nathan sink a blade into Jasper's body. A shriek left her lips, and in that same moment Oliver and Mikki entered the room, adding to the chaos. Oliver's yelling and Mikki's words did not register in Bridget's mind as the scene unfolded before her, Jasper dying right before their eyes.Too late, Bridget realized the siblings were gone. With everyone else caught up in the dying Shadowhunter before her, Bridget should have been the one to stop them, but she was too slow, too weak, and since when had she ever been able to do anything right. A piece of paper had flown out of Nathan's pocket as he left, a flash as he and his sister fled the room too quickly for Bridget to react. She picked up what was the only thing they'd left behind and recognized her mother's letter from earlier. Clinging to the worn paper, with the quietest of broken sobs, Bridget realized that this entire thing was her fault.As much as she cared for Oliver, and wanted to help the others with their grief, or even grieve for Jasper's death herself, Bridget could only back away from the two heartbroken Shadowhunters slowly, needing to distance herself from their pain. She'd caused it. Jasper's blood, soaking the floor of her bedroom and the two that kneeled beside him, might as well have been on her own hands, and yet no one knew it.More people joined the fun but Bridget was beyond caring. She didn't feel Derek's concerned gaze on her before he left to go catch the heads before they'd traveled to far, and almost didn't even realize that Vanessa was now comforting the sobbing Mikki, while Oliver was still alone, staring at his dead parabatai. Bridget knew exactly what her role should have been in this situation, she should have been with Oliver, trying to ease his pain in whatever way she could, but she couldn't bring herself to try to act like she'd be any help when all your fault, all your fault, chanted through her mind like a new mantra.

The first thing Godric did when he received the fire message from Derek was contact the Silent Brothers, next he took a seat and dropped his head into his hands. He could feel his wife move closer to him, he could imagine the concern dancing across her pretty face, but he couldn’t bear to look up. He knew she would need an explanation and that wasn’t something he could give yet. The message was simple, ‘Nina and Nathan are the spies, and Jasper has been killed. I don’t know any more than that, we need you home.’ He had read it three times before the meaning of it hit him like a punch to the gut. As shadowhunters, the concept of death was something that each member of the Claive lived with as a very real possibly, any moment could be their last. But it never happened like this, for one so young to be killed in the comfort of the Institute, by his own kind… The thought of it was unbearable. Sucking in a deep breath, the man tried to collect himself, now was not the time to be weak not when the rest of the children needed him. With a quick explanation to his wife, and another punch to the gut as the tears filled her eyes, they started home to a scene he could have never prepared himself for.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~Time seemed to have stopped around him as Oliver kneeled in the puddle of blood that had left his Parabatai’s body. He had never seen so much blood in one place, and from one person; there was so much, on the floor and coating his friend, he too was covered in it, the sticky fluid staining his hands and soaking his shirt and pants. He was still holding Jasper’s body, his eyes locked on the boys face as if willing him to take a breath, to open his eyes and make some stupid sarcastic comment followed by that crooked grin. The sound of sobbing surrounded him but he wasn’t aware of who was crying, not even sure the noises weren’t coming from him. But he wasn’t crying, wasn’t moving, he could hardly even remember to breathe. Even Jasper’s body seemed to fade away from in front of him, replaced with the memory of their Parabatai ceremony. It had been simple, only Godric and Olivia had been there to witness, and of course the Silent Brother who performed the ritual. He remembered not being able to keep the cheesy grin off of his face, mirroring the one Jasper wore. It had been like a dream, the concept of having a partner; another half, someone to always have by his side and be willing to die protecting. The kid had somehow managed to force his way into his heart, with his sarcastic comebacks and kind eyes, who never even bat an eyelash at Oliver’s rude comments and uncontrollable temper. Jasper had a way of calming him, even with just his presence, the way of communicating with just a look when he knew Oliver was about to lose it. Even in the short time they had, Jasper had been able to really know what was going on in his head, in a way no one else ever had, and now he was gone. Their words rang through his head,

Whither thou goest, I will go;Where thou diest, will I dieAnd there will I be buried:The Angel do so to me, and more also,If aught but death part thee and me.

But here he was, still alive and Jasper was gone. He had left without him, somewhere Oliver couldn’t follow. Where he could once feel Jasper’s energy, drumming in his chest like a second heartbeat, there was now only a hollow emptiness, a feeling he didn’t think would ever fade.New voices broke him from his memories and he was faintly aware of Godric entering the room, followed by two silent brothers. His distressed brain put together what that meant as they stared clearing everyone from the room but he only clung to his friend’s body tighter. Godric was kneeling beside him now, a firm hand on his arm but Oliver refused to move. He knew that as soon as he let go, the brothers would take the body and he would really be gone. Godric was tugging at him now, trying to get him to stand up and he finally obliged before a glimmer of something gold caught his eye. Picking up the object, he recognized it instantly even through the layer of blood, as the zippo lighter Jasper always carried, the one that had belonged to his father. Wrapping his hand around the lighter, Oliver made a fist as he shook off Godric’s hold on him and with one last look at his friend he whispered,“Ave Atque Vale, brother…” His first stop was his room, where he robotically peeled off his blood soaked clothes before strapping himself into gear. He half-heartedly wiped the blood from his face and hands but took a long moment to thoroughly clean off the zippo before slipping it into his pocket. He gave his messy room one last look, glancing around at the walls that he had called his home for the past couple weeks. He had always hated Institutes, too many rules and regulations, too closely watched by the Claive but this one had been worth staying at, this one had his best friend. Now there was nothing tying him here, except maybe the false hope of ever being close to Bridget. No, he had nothing left here and only one purpose now. He was going to kill Nina and Nathan or he was going to die trying. When he finally left his room, the hall was silent, the brothers already having removed the body. He thanked the Angel for the clear passage as he made his way to the weapons room, not wanting to see any of the grief painted faces of the inhabitance. When he got to the weapons room, he began to load up, skipping the Seraph blade for knives, for the first time having a human target. He had just tucked the last blade into his belt when the door swung open, sending light spilling into the otherwise dim room and making him freeze as the figure stepped inside.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After having pushed himself and his sister out of the window, Kaleb had lead them at a dead run for only a short distance before stopping, the hysterical laughter racking his body.“Oh, that was beautiful.” He chuckled, wiping Jaspers blood from his hands as he finally calmed down, though a wicked grin still distorted his features.“It had been so long I damn near forgot how good that felt. Stupid little boy.” Examining his surrounding, he pointed out a low roof of a building at the end of a narrow alley way only a couple blocks from the Institute.“We’ll wait up there for anyone who comes looking for us, their all so unorganized I’m sure they’re going to be running around like chickens with their heads cut off. Easy enough to pick off.” Still drunk with blood lust, he hoped the whole group of them came looking; it would be a pleasure to let them all see their precious little Jasper again.

It didn’t take long before the first shadowhunter wandered down the alley, having followed their deliberate trail. Kaleb recognized the boy as the one he had sparred with in that pathetic excuse for a training session. Unlike the other children of the Institute, Egan showed a great skill for combat, his agility could even rival that of his own; one day, with the proper training. His thought gave him an idea as he tucked his own blade away, he whispered to his sister,“Follow my lead.” Before jumping down from the roof, landing gracefully in front of the younger boy, his hands held up to show he was unarmed.“I should have known it would be you who would find us.” He started, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.“You’re not like the rest of them; you’re a real warrior, far beyond his years. If I had to choice one of them to have kill me, it would have been you. I know there’s no point in fighting, I’m no match for you. You proved that in training.” Kaleb shrugged in defeat, as if he had already accepted the fact the boy was going to kill him. It was obvious the boy just wanted to prove himself, to be noticed for his skill, the shadowhunters of the institute had hardly even spared him a glance. Sometimes all it took was a little sweet-talking to get someone’s attention. He saw Egan like a brick of soft clay, just waiting to be molded into something worth looking at, the potential was undeniable, and all he needed was for the boy to be willing. “I’m sorry it came to this Egan, it would have been an honor to have fought beside you, at least once.”